Panama has a GDP of $86.5B compared to $25.6B for Trinidad and Tobago, ranking 78/197 and 115/197 by economy size, respectively.
Panama has $49B in government debt (58.3% of GDP), compared to $16.5B (69.3% of GDP) in Trinidad and Tobago.
The chart below compares the two countries' GDP growth in both current (nominal) and constant dollars, accounting for inflation over time.
| Year | GDP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|||
| Current $ | Constant $ | Current $ | Constant $ | |
| 1960 | $537,147,100 | $2,863,868,498 | $535,673,252 | $3,624,450,730 |
| 1961 | $599,026,300 | $3,176,791,805 | $584,964,621 | $4,133,217,448 |
| 1962 | $652,120,900 | $3,438,709,929 | $619,322,810 | $4,246,569,413 |
| 1963 | $722,784,500 | $3,732,334,107 | $678,239,329 | $4,484,572,525 |
| 1964 | $776,137,500 | $3,897,756,020 | $711,897,520 | $4,826,767,822 |
| 1965 | $852,485,300 | $4,254,791,885 | $736,573,159 | $4,860,258,364 |
| 1966 | $928,833,000 | $4,577,364,757 | $723,739,857 | $5,057,430,373 |
| 1967 | $1,034,376,400 | $4,968,863,615 | $761,981,912 | $5,160,729,284 |
| 1968 | $1,112,791,100 | $5,315,560,540 | $758,899,950 | $5,429,868,625 |
| 1969 | $1,221,305,700 | $5,764,267,691 | $779,200,000 | $5,578,141,212 |
| 1970 | $1,351,006,400 | $6,165,416,113 | $821,850,000 | $5,775,252,400 |
| 1971 | $1,523,917,200 | $6,758,291,009 | $896,765,215 | $5,835,334,420 |
| 1972 | $1,673,411,700 | $7,068,010,814 | $1,083,391,758 | $6,172,636,987 |
| 1973 | $1,913,793,400 | $7,447,160,841 | $1,308,785,431 | $6,274,881,828 |
| 1974 | $2,188,307,600 | $7,629,491,136 | $2,042,001,071 | $6,513,804,480 |
| 1975 | $2,435,304,100 | $7,762,314,431 | $2,442,669,825 | $6,610,076,255 |
| 1976 | $2,588,106,000 | $7,891,515,155 | $2,500,424,955 | $7,033,461,248 |
| 1977 | $2,738,261,900 | $7,977,850,374 | $3,138,666,667 | $7,675,038,841 |
| 1978 | $3,244,558,600 | $8,759,092,854 | $3,562,333,458 | $8,443,807,609 |
| 1979 | $3,704,551,600 | $9,154,544,093 | $4,602,416,625 | $8,747,731,277 |
| 1980 | $4,614,086,400 | $10,352,368,742 | $6,235,833,333 | $9,656,691,425 |
| 1981 | $5,222,421,500 | $11,305,491,606 | $6,992,083,333 | $10,098,698,332 |
| 1982 | $5,769,767,900 | $11,910,160,900 | $8,140,416,667 | $10,482,380,002 |
| 1983 | $5,923,755,900 | $11,375,232,179 | $7,763,750,000 | $9,402,660,429 |
| 1984 | $6,183,387,100 | $11,683,441,112 | $7,757,083,333 | $8,861,922,250 |
| 1985 | $6,541,517,100 | $12,260,864,070 | $7,375,918,367 | $8,496,862,492 |
| 1986 | $6,797,834,200 | $12,698,305,735 | $4,794,444,444 | $8,218,236,517 |
| 1987 | $6,827,665,300 | $12,468,586,339 | $4,797,777,778 | $7,843,338,767 |
| 1988 | $5,902,783,400 | $10,800,308,965 | $4,496,910,569 | $7,535,901,531 |
| 1989 | $5,918,469,800 | $10,969,036,469 | $4,323,058,824 | $7,473,360,014 |
| 1990 | $6,433,967,000 | $11,857,417,965 | $5,068,000,000 | $7,586,145,560 |
| 1991 | $7,074,675,500 | $12,974,268,848 | $5,307,905,882 | $7,822,257,351 |
| 1992 | $8,042,337,700 | $14,038,376,882 | $5,439,552,941 | $8,611,756,183 |
| 1993 | $8,782,585,400 | $14,804,274,837 | $4,669,491,134 | $8,554,133,650 |
| 1994 | $9,365,289,800 | $15,226,218,447 | $4,947,181,646 | $8,859,275,047 |
| 1995 | $9,573,813,700 | $15,492,932,886 | $5,329,217,747 | $9,196,805,731 |
| 1996 | $9,197,503,323 | $16,124,998,498 | $5,759,570,336 | $9,852,949,764 |
| 1997 | $10,058,854,386 | $17,368,081,091 | $5,737,771,523 | $10,594,172,851 |
| 1998 | $11,019,557,689 | $18,824,824,035 | $6,043,686,654 | $11,454,903,204 |
| 1999 | $11,660,704,777 | $19,805,907,204 | $6,808,982,521 | $12,374,138,298 |
| 2000 | $11,966,497,049 | $20,639,538,974 | $8,154,342,116 | $13,228,122,078 |
| 2001 | $12,252,906,341 | $20,835,595,580 | $8,824,849,191 | $13,779,539,519 |
| 2002 | $12,800,851,271 | $21,358,328,188 | $9,008,298,229 | $14,873,181,567 |
| 2003 | $13,603,456,003 | $22,446,932,303 | $11,305,459,802 | $17,021,016,161 |
| 2004 | $15,100,203,362 | $24,282,115,712 | $13,280,291,990 | $18,374,195,713 |
| 2005 | $16,623,906,739 | $26,291,748,099 | $15,982,389,018 | $19,515,038,111 |
| 2006 | $18,659,721,513 | $28,883,388,478 | $18,369,361,094 | $22,092,595,781 |
| 2007 | $21,717,433,808 | $32,682,439,429 | $21,641,620,050 | $23,142,924,113 |
| 2008 | $25,721,327,955 | $36,015,209,145 | $27,871,587,350 | $23,927,871,251 |
| 2009 | $27,791,215,547 | $36,595,725,400 | $19,172,165,226 | $22,877,023,931 |
| 2010 | $30,231,009,533 | $38,818,327,774 | $22,157,920,592 | $23,637,278,844 |
| 2011 | $35,687,738,252 | $43,441,154,769 | $25,433,007,437 | $23,567,701,471 |
| 2012 | $41,595,439,721 | $47,623,362,260 | $27,147,349,937 | $25,149,270,115 |
| 2013 | $46,949,496,479 | $50,635,232,150 | $28,560,537,057 | $25,996,346,050 |
| 2014 | $51,427,104,882 | $52,977,523,730 | $29,474,180,005 | $26,950,637,731 |
| 2015 | $55,767,806,073 | $55,767,806,073 | $26,841,141,793 | $26,841,141,793 |
| 2016 | $59,760,858,718 | $58,317,491,743 | $23,624,322,193 | $24,818,295,900 |
| 2017 | $64,327,688,826 | $61,667,283,150 | $23,830,750,901 | $23,608,962,518 |
| 2018 | $67,316,471,181 | $64,083,529,457 | $23,883,058,083 | $23,385,751,653 |
| 2019 | $69,778,991,193 | $66,072,084,910 | $23,477,745,792 | $23,495,134,888 |
| 2020 | $57,059,846,522 | $54,297,226,728 | $20,888,515,184 | $21,430,194,901 |
| 2021 | $67,396,392,506 | $63,238,418,849 | $24,222,963,263 | $21,276,595,988 |
| 2022 | $76,479,304,471 | $70,219,021,769 | $28,341,164,301 | $21,459,842,974 |
| 2023 | $83,812,155,244 | $75,251,148,213 | $25,036,993,423 | $21,774,542,875 |
| 2024 | $86,523,959,132 | $77,318,963,570 | $25,633,544,529 | $22,320,911,477 |
Economic indicators
|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Gross domestic product |
$86.5B
2024 |
$25.6B
2024 |
| GDP rank |
78/197
2024 |
115/197
2024 |
| GDP growth |
3.24%
2023-2024 |
2.38%
2023-2024 |
| GDP per capita |
$19,161
2024 |
$18,733
2024 |
| GDP per capita rank |
60/197
2024 |
61/197
2024 |
| GDP per capita, PPP |
$41,369
2024 |
$36,329
2024 |
| Government debt |
$49B
2024 |
$16.5B
2024 |
| Debt-to-GDP ratio |
58.3%
2026 |
69.3%
2026 |
| Government debt per person |
$10,849
2024 |
$12,079
2024 |
| Government debt per person rank |
54/185
2024 |
45/185
2024 |
| Average annual personal income after taxes |
$10,503
2026 |
$11,432
2026 |
| Market capitalization of domestic companies |
$18.3B
2024 |
$3.89B
2001 |
| Income share by richest 10% |
37.6%
2024 |
29.9%
1992 |
| Income share by poorest 10% |
1.2%
2024 |
2.1%
1992 |
| Government expenditure, % of GDP |
21.6%
2026 |
32.8%
2026 |
| Consumer prices inflation |
0.69%
2023-2024 |
0.53%
2023-2024 |
| Central bank interest rate | n/a |
3.5%
2020 |
| Unemployment rate |
8.61%
2024 |
3.36%
2023 |
| Population |
4626304
|
1373327
|
GDP per capita in Panama vs Trinidad and Tobago
Panama's GDP per capita is $19,161, ranking 60/197, compared to $18,733 in Trinidad and Tobago, ranking 61/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Panama ranks 56th at $41,369, while Trinidad and Tobago ranks 62nd at $36,329.
| Year | Current $ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|||
| GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | |
| 1960 | $477 | - | $634 | - |
| 1961 | $516 | - | $678 | - |
| 1962 | $546 | - | $704 | - |
| 1963 | $587 | - | $756 | - |
| 1964 | $611 | - | $780 | - |
| 1965 | $651 | - | $793 | - |
| 1966 | $689 | - | $768 | - |
| 1967 | $745 | - | $797 | - |
| 1968 | $778 | - | $783 | - |
| 1969 | $830 | - | $795 | - |
| 1970 | $893 | - | $829 | - |
| 1971 | $979 | - | $894 | - |
| 1972 | $1,046 | - | $1,067 | - |
| 1973 | $1,164 | - | $1,273 | - |
| 1974 | $1,296 | - | $1,962 | - |
| 1975 | $1,406 | - | $2,319 | - |
| 1976 | $1,457 | - | $2,345 | - |
| 1977 | $1,503 | - | $2,907 | - |
| 1978 | $1,738 | - | $3,258 | - |
| 1979 | $1,938 | - | $4,155 | - |
| 1980 | $2,357 | - | $5,559 | - |
| 1981 | $2,605 | - | $6,160 | - |
| 1982 | $2,811 | - | $7,091 | - |
| 1983 | $2,819 | - | $6,690 | - |
| 1984 | $2,875 | - | $6,613 | - |
| 1985 | $2,972 | - | $6,212 | - |
| 1986 | $3,019 | - | $3,985 | - |
| 1987 | $2,966 | - | $3,941 | - |
| 1988 | $2,509 | - | $3,656 | - |
| 1989 | $2,462 | - | $3,482 | - |
| 1990 | $2,620 | $4,651 | $4,047 | $6,878 |
| 1991 | $2,821 | $5,150 | $4,205 | $7,274 |
| 1992 | $3,140 | $5,582 | $4,277 | $8,129 |
| 1993 | $3,358 | $5,902 | $3,647 | $8,209 |
| 1994 | $3,508 | $6,073 | $3,840 | $8,631 |
| 1995 | $3,514 | $6,182 | $4,115 | $9,099 |
| 1996 | $3,308 | $6,421 | $4,427 | $9,883 |
| 1997 | $3,546 | $6,895 | $4,394 | $10,769 |
| 1998 | $3,808 | $7,408 | $4,613 | $11,735 |
| 1999 | $3,950 | $7,749 | $5,179 | $12,812 |
| 2000 | $3,975 | $8,097 | $6,179 | $13,953 |
| 2001 | $3,992 | $8,197 | $6,657 | $14,797 |
| 2002 | $4,091 | $8,370 | $6,763 | $16,141 |
| 2003 | $4,265 | $8,801 | $8,445 | $18,743 |
| 2004 | $4,645 | $9,592 | $9,871 | $20,674 |
| 2005 | $5,018 | $10,511 | $12,346 | $23,536 |
| 2006 | $5,529 | $11,685 | $14,153 | $27,393 |
| 2007 | $6,318 | $13,333 | $16,607 | $29,355 |
| 2008 | $7,348 | $14,705 | $21,299 | $30,807 |
| 2009 | $7,797 | $14,766 | $14,634 | $29,602 |
| 2010 | $8,331 | $15,573 | $16,815 | $30,778 |
| 2011 | $9,662 | $17,474 | $19,151 | $31,078 |
| 2012 | $11,065 | $19,473 | $20,332 | $31,883 |
| 2013 | $12,273 | $21,924 | $21,305 | $31,746 |
| 2014 | $13,213 | $24,376 | $21,908 | $32,027 |
| 2015 | $14,083 | $27,245 | $19,887 | $29,825 |
| 2016 | $14,832 | $30,277 | $17,449 | $28,232 |
| 2017 | $15,695 | $33,533 | $17,566 | $28,484 |
| 2018 | $16,151 | $32,464 | $17,571 | $28,673 |
| 2019 | $16,478 | $33,240 | $17,213 | $29,316 |
| 2020 | $13,291 | $27,017 | $15,284 | $26,731 |
| 2021 | $15,510 | $30,933 | $17,713 | $30,482 |
| 2022 | $17,379 | $36,333 | $20,751 | $32,979 |
| 2023 | $18,797 | $39,813 | $18,308 | $34,623 |
| 2024 | $19,161 | $41,369 | $18,733 | $36,329 |
Spending and national debt comparison
In 2024, Panama's government spending was $19.8B, accounting for 21.6% of its GDP, while Trinidad and Tobago's spent $8.25B, or 32.8% of GDP.
Debt-to-GDP ratio is 58.3% in Panama and 69.3% in Trinidad and Tobago, ranking 85/185 and 55/185, respectively.
| Year | % of GDP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|||
| Government spending | Government debt | Government spending | Government debt | |
| 1960 | 16.6% | 21% | - | - |
| 1961 | 18.9% | 20.5% | - | - |
| 1962 | 16.4% | 19.8% | - | - |
| 1963 | 19.1% | 22.6% | - | - |
| 1964 | 14.1% | 20% | - | - |
| 1965 | 13.2% | 18.7% | - | - |
| 1966 | 14% | 17.9% | - | - |
| 1967 | 14.9% | 17.8% | - | - |
| 1968 | 14.2% | 18% | - | - |
| 1969 | 20.5% | 23.2% | - | - |
| 1970 | 22.4% | 25.7% | - | - |
| 1971 | 15% | 26.2% | - | - |
| 1972 | 15.6% | 29.5% | - | - |
| 1973 | 14.4% | 32.6% | - | - |
| 1974 | 15.3% | 37.6% | - | - |
| 1975 | 15.3% | 52.6% | - | - |
| 1976 | 15.9% | 69.7% | - | - |
| 1977 | 16.9% | 77.7% | - | - |
| 1978 | 27.6% | 83.1% | - | - |
| 1979 | 35% | 78.9% | - | - |
| 1980 | 30.5% | 69.4% | - | - |
| 1981 | 30.7% | 68.7% | - | - |
| 1982 | 48% | 80.9% | - | - |
| 1983 | 44.6% | 86.6% | - | - |
| 1984 | 44% | 82.5% | - | - |
| 1985 | 39.7% | 82.5% | - | - |
| 1986 | 38.6% | 84% | - | - |
| 1987 | 40.1% | 92.2% | - | - |
| 1988 | 41.8% | 105% | 45.3% | 65.3% |
| 1989 | 43% | 104.4% | 30.9% | 51.9% |
| 1990 | 41.5% | 112.7% | 26.9% | 47.7% |
| 1991 | 20.9% | 103.7% | 29.6% | 49.5% |
| 1992 | 27.8% | 91.2% | 28.6% | 49.2% |
| 1993 | 33.8% | 83.6% | 26.9% | 58.8% |
| 1994 | 25.2% | 78.4% | 25.4% | 52.6% |
| 1995 | 25.9% | 76.7% | 26.2% | 50.1% |
| 1996 | 21.5% | 65% | 27.6% | 47% |
| 1997 | 22.2% | 60.2% | 27.2% | 46.1% |
| 1998 | 23.4% | 58.1% | 26.9% | 42.8% |
| 1999 | 23% | 55.1% | 24.1% | 42.2% |
| 2000 | 22.8% | 53.6% | 23.1% | 38.9% |
| 2001 | 23.4% | 57.8% | 24.8% | 36.6% |
| 2002 | 23.5% | 57% | 24.4% | 37% |
| 2003 | 24.2% | 56.5% | 22.2% | 30.2% |
| 2004 | 23.3% | 58.8% | 22.5% | 24.2% |
| 2005 | 22.4% | 59.3% | 26.7% | 19.8% |
| 2006 | 21.9% | 54.7% | 31.6% | 16.9% |
| 2007 | 21.8% | 47.4% | 25.7% | 16.2% |
| 2008 | 22.7% | 40% | 26.7% | 13.5% |
| 2009 | 22.7% | 39.1% | 37% | 20.7% |
| 2010 | 24.2% | 38.1% | 30.4% | 16.8% |
| 2011 | 23.5% | 35.6% | 29.4% | 26.4% |
| 2012 | 22.8% | 34% | 29.5% | 21.8% |
| 2013 | 23.4% | 33.7% | 31.3% | 21.6% |
| 2014 | 23% | 34.7% | 32.8% | 23.5% |
| 2015 | 21.4% | 34.3% | 35% | 27.1% |
| 2016 | 21.3% | 33.6% | 31.9% | 35.4% |
| 2017 | 21.2% | 33.6% | 30.7% | 39.8% |
| 2018 | 21.8% | 35.6% | 30.2% | 41.5% |
| 2019 | 20.7% | 39.9% | 31% | 46% |
| 2020 | 27.5% | 61.5% | 36% | 62.2% |
| 2021 | 23.8% | 54.4% | 30.4% | 58.5% |
| 2022 | 21.3% | 52.7% | 27.1% | 51% |
| 2023 | 21.5% | 51.5% | 32.9% | 61.1% |
| 2024 | 22.8% | 56.6% | 32.2% | 64.5% |
| 2025 | 21.8% | 58.1% | 32.4% | 67.2% |
| 2026 | 21.6% | 58.3% | 32.8% | 69.3% |
Government deficit by year
In 2024, Panama's government deficit, the difference between spending and revenue, was -$6.33B, equivalent to -7.32% of GDP. This compares to Trinidad and Tobago's deficit of -$1.52B, or -5.92% of GDP.
Over the past 37 years, Panama recorded a fiscal deficit in 29 of those years, while Trinidad and Tobago ran a deficit in 24 years. On average, Panama posted an annual deficit equal to -2.6% of GDP, compared to deficit of -2.22% of GDP for Trinidad and Tobago.
| Year | Deficit/surplus, % of GDP | |
|---|---|---|
|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|
| 1946 | -3.19% | - |
| 1947 | -1.94% | - |
| 1948 | -1.21% | - |
| 1949 | -1% | - |
| 1950 | -3.89% | - |
| 1951 | -2.54% | - |
| 1952 | -3.84% | - |
| 1953 | -0.55% | - |
| 1954 | -0.2% | - |
| 1955 | -1.33% | - |
| 1956 | -3.69% | - |
| 1957 | -0.89% | - |
| 1958 | -1.62% | - |
| 1959 | -3.79% | - |
| 1960 | -3.05% | - |
| 1961 | -5.45% | - |
| 1962 | -3.01% | - |
| 1963 | -6.71% | - |
| 1964 | -2.51% | - |
| 1965 | -1.17% | - |
| 1966 | -1.18% | - |
| 1967 | -1.97% | - |
| 1968 | -1.5% | - |
| 1969 | -7.56% | - |
| 1970 | -8.02% | - |
| 1971 | -0.51% | - |
| 1972 | -1.17% | - |
| 1973 | -0.01% | - |
| 1974 | -0.6% | - |
| 1975 | -0.74% | - |
| 1976 | -2.65% | - |
| 1977 | -1.61% | - |
| 1978 | -5.21% | - |
| 1979 | -12.1% | - |
| 1980 | -5.17% | - |
| 1981 | -6.77% | - |
| 1982 | -13.3% | - |
| 1983 | -7.62% | - |
| 1984 | -7.56% | - |
| 1985 | -2.57% | - |
| 1986 | -1% | - |
| 1987 | -1.7% | - |
| 1988 | -13.5% | -9.34% |
| 1989 | -13.6% | -4.46% |
| 1990 | -3.65% | -1.27% |
| 1991 | -0.6% | -0.21% |
| 1992 | -2.62% | -2.74% |
| 1993 | -9.4% | 0.23% |
| 1994 | 2.12% | -0.02% |
| 1995 | 2.31% | 0.17% |
| 1996 | 2.48% | -0.45% |
| 1997 | 1.25% | 0.11% |
| 1998 | -1.11% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | -0.65% | -0.88% |
| 2000 | 2.05% | 0.17% |
| 2001 | -0.42% | 0.61% |
| 2002 | -0.96% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | -2.27% | 1.8% |
| 2004 | -4.33% | 1.84% |
| 2005 | -2.21% | 2.36% |
| 2006 | 0.51% | 1.56% |
| 2007 | 3.12% | 3.12% |
| 2008 | 0.38% | 5.39% |
| 2009 | -0.9% | -5.42% |
| 2010 | -1.68% | 0.13% |
| 2011 | -1.96% | -0.67% |
| 2012 | -1.31% | -1.26% |
| 2013 | -2.38% | -2.67% |
| 2014 | -3.21% | -4.31% |
| 2015 | -2.3% | -7.56% |
| 2016 | -1.89% | -10.1% |
| 2017 | -1.92% | -10.4% |
| 2018 | -2.88% | -5.89% |
| 2019 | -2.89% | -3.72% |
| 2020 | -10.2% | -12.1% |
| 2021 | -6.48% | -8.1% |
| 2022 | -3.98% | 0.92% |
| 2023 | -3.92% | -1.19% |
| 2024 | -7.32% | -5.92% |
| 2025 | -3.95% | -3.39% |
| 2026 | -3.5% | -4.28% |
Inflation comparison by year
Over the past 28 years, Panama has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 2.02%, compared with 4.88% in Trinidad and Tobago. In 2024, inflation was 0.69% in Panama and 0.53% in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Year | Inflation | |
|---|---|---|
|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|
| 1997 | 1.32% | 3.63% |
| 1998 | 0.56% | 5.61% |
| 1999 | 1.25% | 3.44% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | 3.56% |
| 2001 | 0.31% | 5.54% |
| 2002 | 1.01% | 4.15% |
| 2003 | 0.39% | 3.81% |
| 2004 | 0.47% | 3.72% |
| 2005 | 2.86% | 6.87% |
| 2006 | 2.46% | 8.33% |
| 2007 | 4.17% | 7.89% |
| 2008 | 8.76% | 12% |
| 2009 | 2.41% | 6.98% |
| 2010 | 3.49% | 10.5% |
| 2011 | 5.88% | 5.11% |
| 2012 | 5.7% | 9.26% |
| 2013 | 4.03% | 5.2% |
| 2014 | 2.63% | 5.68% |
| 2015 | 0.14% | 4.66% |
| 2016 | 0.74% | 3.07% |
| 2017 | 0.88% | 1.88% |
| 2018 | 0.76% | 1.02% |
| 2019 | -0.36% | 1% |
| 2020 | -1.55% | 0.6% |
| 2021 | 1.63% | 2.06% |
| 2022 | 2.86% | 5.83% |
| 2023 | 1.49% | 4.63% |
| 2024 | 0.69% | 0.53% |
Top exports between countries
|
Panama
|
|
|---|---|
| Export category | Export value |
| Chemicals & pharma | $116M |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $52.2M |
| Machinery & equipment | $45M |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $12.2M |
| Metals | $7.39M |
| Raw materials & minerals | $1.63M |
| Miscellaneous | $1.52M |
| Wood & paper products | $1.01M |
| Precious metals & jewellery | $735K |
| Animal & marine products | $351K |
|
Trinidad
|
|
|---|---|
| Export category | Export value |
| Miscellaneous | $15.3M |
| Wood & paper products | $5.42M |
| Raw materials & minerals | $3.55M |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $2.66M |
| Machinery & equipment | $1.39M |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $584K |
| Chemicals & pharma | $283K |
| Metals | $71K |
| Animal & marine products | $5K |
| Raw agricultural goods | $3K |
Balance of trade
|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|
|---|---|---|
Current account balance
|
$1.67B
2024 |
$645M
2024 |
| Current account balance ranking |
51/190
2024 |
58/190
2024 |
| Current account balance, % of GDP |
+1.93%
2024 |
+2.52%
2024 |
| Goods imports |
$25.1B
2024 |
$7.54B
2024 |
| Goods exports |
$19.1B
2024 |
$10B
2024 |
| Service imports |
$5.75B
2024 |
$2.71B
2024 |
| Service exports |
$18.3B
2024 |
$1.26B
2024 |
| Imports of goods and services, % of GDP |
39.3%
2024 |
n/a |
| Exports of goods and services, % of GDP |
44.4%
2024 |
45%
2025 |
Economic freedom indices
The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.
|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | 65.5 | 63.6 |
| Economic freedom ranking | 62/197 | 76/197 |
| Property rights | 56 | 58.3 |
| Government integrity | 37 | 44.7 |
| Judicial effectiveness | 49.4 | 58.5 |
| Tax burden | 86.9 | 79.5 |
| Government spending | 85.2 | 74.5 |
| Fiscal health | 62.4 | 80.9 |
| Business freedom | 73.4 | 72.6 |
| Labor freedom | 60.7 | 60.4 |
| Monetary freedom | 76.4 | 76.3 |
| Trade freedom | 78.6 | 67.6 |
| Investment freedom | 60 | 50 |
| Financial freedom | 60 | 40 |
Economic freedom by year comparison
The Economic Freedom Index for Panama is 65.5, ranking 62/197, compared to 63.6 for Trinidad and Tobago, ranking 76/197. The chart below displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.
| Year | Economic freedom index | |
|---|---|---|
|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|
| 1995 | 71.6 | - |
| 1996 | 71.8 | 69.2 |
| 1997 | 72.4 | 71.3 |
| 1998 | 72.6 | 72 |
| 1999 | 72.6 | 72.4 |
| 2000 | 71.6 | 74.5 |
| 2001 | 70.6 | 71.8 |
| 2002 | 68.5 | 70.1 |
| 2003 | 68.4 | 68.8 |
| 2004 | 65.3 | 71.3 |
| 2005 | 64.3 | 71.5 |
| 2006 | 65.6 | 70.4 |
| 2007 | 64.6 | 70.6 |
| 2008 | 64.7 | 69.5 |
| 2009 | 64.7 | 68 |
| 2010 | 64.8 | 65.7 |
| 2011 | 64.9 | 66.5 |
| 2012 | 65.2 | 64.4 |
| 2013 | 62.5 | 62.3 |
| 2014 | 63.4 | 62.7 |
| 2015 | 64.1 | 64.1 |
| 2016 | 64.8 | 62.9 |
| 2017 | 66.3 | 61.2 |
| 2018 | 67 | 57.7 |
| 2019 | 67.2 | 57 |
| 2020 | 67.2 | 58.3 |
| 2021 | 66.2 | 59 |
| 2022 | 65.4 | 58.8 |
| 2023 | 63.8 | 59.5 |
| 2024 | 64.1 | 60.4 |
| 2025 | 65.5 | 63.6 |
More economic indicators
|
Panama
|
Trinidad
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Services, % of GDP |
69.3%
2024 |
59.2%
2024 |
| Industry, % of GDP |
25.5%
2024 |
34.6%
2024 |
| Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP |
2.68%
2024 |
0.78%
2024 |
|
GNI, Atlas method
|
$81.3B
2024 |
$27B
2024 |
| GNI per capita, PPP |
$39,260
2024 |
$36,580
2024 |
| Total reserves including gold |
$6.86B
2024 |
$5.6B
2024 |
| Total reserves ranking |
88/177
2024 |
94/177
2024 |
|
Net foreign direct investment
|
-$2.38B
2024 |
$980M
2024 |
|
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
|
$3.24B
2024 |
-$453M
2024 |
|
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
|
$865M
2024 |
$527M
2024 |
| Poverty at national poverty lines |
21.7%
2023 |
20%
2020 |
|
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
|
33.5%
2024 |
19%
2023 |
GDP per capita map
GDP per capita
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Economy comparisons
The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.
Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.
A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.
Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.